The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-09
OUSTED At NINETY-FOUR.
Tho Aged Town Clerk OF Norwich who was
Beaten Mt the Last Election.

Tho Aged Town Clerk OF Norwich who was
Beaten at the Lat Election.
NORWICH, Oct s.-Othniel eager, who is
called In Norwich the "honestest man in the
world" was defeated on Monday for Town Clerk,
an office he had held continuously since Oct. IL.
1889. 1t was said that before his defeat he had
been longer In continuous public service than
any other oficeholder in the country. Mr.
eager is in his oath year. In many Of the cleo
lions his name was on the tickets Of all parties.
and frequently he received the entire vote cast
in town elections. He was slow and precise In
his office methods, and business men were
often vexed on account OF his tedious gait yet
every one liked to see his wrinkled face and
bowed head at the Town Clerks desk. his
painstaking hand plodding laboriously and
almost painfully over the clean pages ofledger
and account books. because every one felt that.
although he was slow. he was as honest as the
day was long. and that every penny Of the
towns money was as safe with him as with
the Recording Angel. People often stopped In
the street. opposite the window OF the Clerks
ONCE. to watch him for a moment; then
passed. on after. saying to each other. Well.
there's one honest man lei. in the world and
Mr.. eager Was beaten by. less than twenty
votes. the reason for his defeat being that the
business Of the office demanded liyelier, II
has become, very, feeble; he has long walked
with crutch and a cane, and had to ride in a
hack to and from his office. But his handwrit-
ing Is Just as round. clean. md handsome as 1t
was forty-eight years ago: There never was
blot on the neat pages OF the town accounts-
ink did not dare to play any tricks on the
Clerks solemn pen-and the writing Is as easy
to read as Is print There is not a hint Of
tremulousness in single line In the long row
OF leather bound books that have been written
since 1889. Mr.. eager never used glasses; his
eyes are as good to-day as they eyer were.
A profound hush always reigned In Mr..
Gager's Office: he would not tolerate levity in
connection with the serious and conscientiouss
credit. Sometimes a stirring. noisy person
would gallon into the room and begin to chat
ter, but the sombre- garbed Clerk had only to
lift his head slowly out OF his books and look at
the man, and instantly the sanctuary hush was
restored. Mr.. eager wrote with his face nearly
on q level with the page and his mouth when
he was writing was drawn up In schoolboy
pucker that was solemn and comical at the
same time 1t took him about minute to get
ready to write word. and another minute to
write 1t, lat when the word was written 1t was
finished work.
Mr. eager has been weak physically all his
life, and when he was young man his parents
were afraid that he would not live till middle
married twice and is widower. Although he
has lost his clerkship he still holds the Offices
of Town Treasurer and Treasurer of the town
deposit fund. In the election on Monday he
received 1928 votes and his Democratic oppo-
nent 81 In the contest for those Offices. Mr..
eager dwells in a pleasant cottage at Norwich
Town and has comfortable fortune.